Just curious...

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I see two approaches here.

Getting optimum growth, in which case @Cadillactaste or Jerry Mieslik's approach is ideal.

Then there is "getting away with" less than ideal. Ficus are sturdy, they will survive conditions quite far from "ideal". How much you can get away with? Well, if it ain't dead, I guess you would count that as a win.

So it depends on what you want, optimal growth? or see just what you can get away with and not cause obvious damage?

If you shoot for optimal growth, you will be able to style and train your Ficus more often, with better effect.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

When I used to live in an apartment and keep my trees inside all year, I did have continuous growth. Not a lot of leaf drop in winter. There was a small burst in spring.
Now I have them outside in summer - heavier, vigorous growth out there. Indoors they do sulk all winter.
Here are my main differences indoors:
The apartment was warmer and had more natural light.
I do have the same T5ho fixtures and bulbs are replaced- they may be a little closer to the plants now.
So I’m not certain if I had better growing conditions before or if the plants are just semi hibernating.
New growth is now returning after most had significant leaf drop this winter. In my previous location I had minimal leaf drop.
So this is still new to me- maybe next winter I will figure out a pattern or solution.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I just had another thought:
In Florida- do the ficus just keep pushing growth or do they sometimes rest???
I can’t imagine if my ficus kept growing as much as they do in summer. I am kind of happy for the rest period.
The only thing I dislike is leaf growth returns at the tips so I’m always chasing it back.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I just had another thought:
In Florida- do the ficus just keep pushing growth or do they sometimes rest???
I can’t imagine if my ficus kept growing as much as they do in summer. I am kind of happy for the rest period.
The only thing I dislike is leaf growth returns at the tips so I’m always chasing it back.

They do slow...that is why they don't work them during their winter. I've had that conversation with friends from there.

 

[leatherback]

I am not in Florida. I am in New York where winter gets a bit colder. The advice I got was from the person that grew my tree for 18 years.
I see no reason to go against the advice of the person that grows these things for a living.
If he says its a good idea to bring in a Brazilian rain tree when the temperatures are going to be below 50 in Florida, why would I think leaving it out in New York when the temperature is going to be below 50 would be a good thing? Its a Brazilian rain tree, ie a tropical native to Brazil. It wont adapt to being an outdoor tree in New York when temperatures are below normal tolerance for the species.

Ficus can handle temperatures a bit cooler and could stay out a bit longer but I treat them the same as the BRT because its just easier for me to bring them all in at once.

And yes that is what works for me. Around here, the temperatures can fluctuate quite a bit during those periods where the seasons are changing.
Waiting until it drops to around 40 or putting them out when it reaches 40 in the spring is risking a potential early or late frost which would probably kill a Brazilian Rain tree.

If you have too many plants inside to bring in all your tropicals, thats another issue altogether and has nothing to do with the cold tolerance of a tropical species.
I have only so much space inside for my tropicals so I dont go over the amount of trees that I have space for.

My tropicals stay indoors untill night time temps are more or less reliably above 10C -> 50F.
This is a treshhold for them to start responding to the cold. It is not problematic when it gets colder. But I find the transition in spring is easier if they do not go from cozy warm into the cold.

Bringin in, I wait as long as possible, as the temps gently come down. When frost is getting near and the air gets to the point where you think of checking your firewoodaccess, that is when the trees come back in. Night temps might be 4, 5 C -> 40F by then.

 

[Paradox]

My tropicals stay indoors untill night time temps are more or less reliably above 10C -> 50F.
This is a treshhold for them to start responding to the cold. It is not problematic when it gets colder. But I find the transition in spring is easier if they do not go from cozy warm into the cold.

Bringin in, I wait as long as possible, as the temps gently come down. When frost is getting near and the air gets to the point where you think of checking your firewoodaccess, that is when the trees come back in. Night temps might be 4, 5 C -> 40F by then.

Yea under their lights in my basement, it can reach 80 degrees F (26 C) or better. I agree that I dont think its a good idea to throw them from that to < 50 (10).

I bring them in around mid October. My target date to get them all in is Oct 15 because that is when its starting to get cold enough to worry about daily lows.
Also with all the other winter preparation we have to do (besides the trees, we have a boat to get prepared to get out of the water for winter as well), I know that at least they are taken care of.

 

[leatherback]

Also with all the other winter preparation we have to do (besides the trees, we have a boat to get prepared to get out of the water for winter as well), I know that at least they are taken care of.

Yup. Right priorities. Let the boat freeze. Get the trees in!

Motor or sail?

 

[Paradox]

Yup. Right priorities. Let the boat freeze. Get the trees in!

Motor or sail?

Motor and if its bilge freezes, it can sink. We usually get it out of the water in the first half of November. The trees are usually fine on the benches until December.
Fall/Winter prep is usually a timed list of tasks for both the trees and the boat starting in September with cleaning up the winter area in the basement for the tropicals and ending usually around Christmas when the trees all are in thier winter quarters.

 

[canoeguide]

My tropicals stay indoors untill night time temps are more or less reliably above 10C -> 50F.
This is a treshhold for them to start responding to the cold. It is not problematic when it gets colder. But I find the transition in spring is easier if they do not go from cozy warm into the cold.

Bringin in, I wait as long as possible, as the temps gently come down. When frost is getting near and the air gets to the point where you think of checking your firewoodaccess, that is when the trees come back in. Night temps might be 4, 5 C -> 40F by then.

This is almost exactly my experience. When it's reliably above 45-50F they go out in the spring, when it starts hitting 40F they come in in the fall.

They grow reliably all year but I get three major growth spurts: October when they come in from the cold, March when the days get longer and the local weather starts including more sunny days per week, and May when they go outside.

 

[Cadillactaste]

What we have here is two weeks of growth since I cut the ficus back. It has hit another growth spurt and my lights couldn't raise any longer so a hard cut back and wired basic structure lowered lights back down. Fast forward two weeks...had to raise the lights off the growth. Growing happily up north.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I am trying something new this year. If I recall, my tropicals did not get outside last year until 50F+ night time temps as recommended by many. I experienced extensive leaf scorch because of the intensity of the sunlight. This year, I have had them outside since early April to give them an opportunity to acclimate before the sun gets too harsh. There have been several nights that they had to come into the sunroom, when temps were going close to or below freezing. I have noticed less leaf scorch, and everything but the bougie has been growing fine. That one has been sulking, and I might stick it in a humidity tent in dappled shade.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I am trying something new this year. If I recall, my tropicals did not get outside last year until 50F+ night time temps as recommended by many. I experienced extensive leaf scorch because of the intensity of the sunlight. This year, I have had them outside since early April to give them an opportunity to acclimate before the sun gets too harsh. There have been several nights that they had to come into the sunroom, when temps were going close to or below freezing. I have noticed less leaf scorch, and everything but the bougie has been growing fine. That one has been sulking, and I might stick it in a humidity tent in dappled shade.

Peculiar...mine go out full sun and I've never seen leaf scorch. Did your pots go dry?

 

[luvinthemountains]

Did your pots go dry?

No - I am at 5200ft elevation and 37* N latitude, so the UV radiation here is much more intense than where you are at. At least, I assume that is it.

 

[Cadillactaste]

No - I am at 5200ft elevation and 37* N latitude, so the UV radiation here is much more intense than where you are at. At least, I assume that is it.

Location, location,location always plays a factor.

 

[BrianBay9]

I have sometimes completely defoliated ficus when shifting them outside. New leaves come in smaller, and no scorch.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I have sometimes completely defoliated ficus when shifting them outside. New leaves come in smaller, and no scorch.

I have considered that, although it is a high-risk endeavor on my benjaminas. Also, I talked about the idea with Jerry Meislik - he cautioned that moving a leafless ficus into full sun without an appropriate acclimation period can result in scorched bark, and possible a dead tree. Maybe common sense, but it had never even occurred to me...

 

[BrianBay9]

I have considered that, although it is a high-risk endeavor on my benjaminas. Also, I talked about the idea with Jerry Meislik - he cautioned that moving a leafless ficus into full sun without an appropriate acclimation period can result in scorched bark, and possible a dead tree. Maybe common sense, but it had never even occurred to me...

I had not considered the scorched bark angle.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I had not considered the scorched bark angle.

Neither had I. I don't defoliate when mine come out. They adjust without a hiccup so no need. I have heard people from Florida suggest defoliating when they come inside to keep the mess down. But mine doesn't shed coming in either.

 

[Carol 83]

But mine doesn't shed coming in either.

Mine don't either.